I was out last week with Tim Park from the regional council looking for Pseudopanax hybrids between lancewood and coastal five-finger near Porirua. Coastal five-finger and the hybrids are weeds in the Wellington region. Previous post on lancewood and coastal five-finger hybridisation. We spotted a couple of other weedy nativesRead more
I was recently in New Plymouth, where I took the opportunity to visit Pukekura Park. Aside from its lovely cricket ground, the Park is of course notable for its plants. Pukekura Park website. One of the botanical highlights for me was king fern, probably best seen at the Park inRead more
One of the great things about blogs is the connections that get made. For Te Papa, this means we get new and interesting links to things in our collections. Debby Mathews lives in Lewes, near Brighton in the south of England – in the same house in which Gideon MantellRead more
A Garden by Paul Cullen has recently opened on the Sculpture Terrace’s Outer Terrace. The project draws on Paul’s interest in the history and practice of garden design and also his ongoing interest in the methods and models of science. The work was installed over a two week period beginningRead more
Staging the show I rest my eye for a moment on the frame, taking a break from the work of looking hard at the painting I have come to see. Then, returning to the work at hand, I become conscious, if only just, of an adjustment to my perception; thatRead more
On the 23-26 October 2009, fellow work colleague Hokimate Harwood and I attended one of the biggest events on the arts calendar of Māori weaving-the Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa Weavers National Hui. A biennial event, the first inaugural hui was called by Ngoingoi Pewhairangi of Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare, aRead more
Today is the LAST DAY to see Te Papa’s Formula One the Great Design Race exhibition, in fact as I write this, it’s the LAST HOUR to see these sexy beasts. I’ve loved the cars we’ve been fortunate to be able to display – it would’ve been brilliant to haveRead more
Tramping in New Zealand forests can be an enjoyable and very relaxing activity. However, if your legs are hairy, it could be a painful and very annoying experience. Camouflaged among ferns and ground orchids, hook grasses are waiting, ready to clasp to the hairs or clothing of any unwary tramper.Read more
I’m just back from the John Child Bryophyte Workshop for 2009, which I helped organise (along with Massey University’s Lara Shepherd and Jill Rapson). The Bryophyte Workshop studies mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, as well as lichens. Although often overlooked because of their small size, these plants are significant biodiversity andRead more
One of Te Papa’s photographers Norman Heke is usually behind the camera. He’s been at many hui and wānanga, studiously taking photos to put together a wonderful photographic record of these events. This time Norm was able to take part in the taonga puoro wānanga and learned how to make and play aRead more
Earlier this week Hongoeka marae in Plimmerton was filled with the sounds of taonga puoro (Maori musical instruments) – accompanied by the buzzing of sanders and the call of tuis flitting among the flaxes. I was one of twenty Te Papa staff who took part in a three-day wānanga onRead more
Fans of art and TV on demand may already know about the great series New Artland hosted by musician Chris Knox on freeview TVNZ 7, and available online. The programme invites artists to make a new work involving a community. Series two has recently been uploaded, and they are alreadyRead more
Te Papa is saddened at the passing of Sir Howard Morrison, and extends sympathy to his whanau and friends. Over a long and distinguished career, Sir Howard brought great pleasure to many with his fine singing voice, and his ability to charm and entertain. New Zealand has lost a consummateRead more
In early March, Te Papa Tongarewa was asked by an overseas museum if they could borrow ‘amakua hulu manu Kūka’ilimoku (feathered image) for an exhibition. As part of the process to allow or decline a loan, all the materials that make up an object need to be identified. We wereRead more
There’s ferns even in the desert. Strictly speaking, it’s apparently an “arid” region, rather than desert. In any case, it was dry.Read more
